Animal-shears



' (No Model.)

W. F. WIGKENDEN.

ANIMAL SHEARS.

No. 297,327. Patentd Apr. 22,1884.

Nrrn STATES ATENT rates.

ANlMAL-SHEARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part'of Letters Patent No. 297,327, dated April 22, 1884.

Application filed December 7, 1883. (N 0 model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. WIoKEN- DEN, of San Luis Obispo, county of San Luis Obispo, and State of California, have invented an Improvement in Shears; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to the class of shears, and more particularly to those commonly known as sheepshears, in which the blades are forced together against the resistance of a spring at their base where they are united, and underthe influence of which they are separated when the pressure is relieved.

. My invention consists in a new and useful means or device for holding the blades wider apart to afford facility in grinding them.

This class of shears is made so that the blades remain normally open to provide for their cutting action in closing; but they are not open far enough to permit grinding. The present custom to accomplish a wider separation is to insert a cross stick between their shanks. In this operation the difficulty of contending with a strong spring renders the insertion of the stick a matter of some trouble; but the greatest drawback is that while grinding the blades the stick is liable to become loosened, and the blades, being released, come together, and frequently cut the hand of the operator.

The object of my invention is to provide a brace which is capable of easy adjustment, and which will not slip.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the shears with a portion of the shanks broken away, showing my brace in an extended position holding the blades open for grinding. Fig. 2 is a view of one-half the shears, showing the inside of the shank, the dotted lines representing the brace when folded up.

The shears here shown are of the ordinary pattern of sheep-shears, having blades A, with shanks B, united bya spring, 0. Theseshanks are usually concaved on their inner surfaces, forming a recess o'r chamber, which I utilize for the reception of my brace, though this is not of importance other than to make a neatlooking device.

D is the brace. It consists of a bar or rod sufficiently strong, and of such a length that when extended transversely between the shanks it will hold the blades open wide enough to permit convenient grinding. This brace is pivoted at its base by a small shaft,- (Z, near the outer or forward end of one of the shanks. The end of the brace is rounded down to a conical head, which, when the brace is extended transversely, is adapted to fit into a small socket, a, in the other shank. When the brace is free, it lies within that shank to which it is pivoted, and is out of the way, and when extended and secured in its socket it holds the blades wide open, as shown in Fig. 1. It cannot slip readily, as the socket a holds it, and. it is easily adjusted. for, being secured at one end, its free end can be forced along the shank without any trouble until it reaches its socket; but it is evident that some means must be used for keeping the brace to its seat when not in use, for, being pivoted, it would naturally swing about,

and be in the way. To hold it closed and out of the way, I have a flat spring, E, secured by one end to the inner surface of the shank, and having its free end lying under and impinging against the pivoted end of the brace. The influence of this spring against the end of the brace prevents said brace from swinging loosely, though it does not prevent its proper movement when the operator wishes to use it. Thus held, the brace is not in the way when the shears are used, though it is always convenient when the shears have to be ground.

Having thusdescribed my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a pair of shearshaving blades, shanks, and spring, substantially as herein shown, the brace bar or rod D, pivoted by one end in one shank, and adapted, when extended transversely, to fit and secure its other end against the opposite'shank, and the spring E, bearing against the pivoted end of said brace to keep it in position when closed, substantially as I into which the loose end of the bar fits, suband for the purpose herein described. stantially as and for the purpose set forth. :0

2. In spring shears the spring of which prevents the blade from remaining open beyond a certain width, a brace rodor bar pivi In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WVILLIAM F. WIOKENDEN.

oted at one end to the shank of one blade. I VVitne/sses: in combination with the shank of the oppo- LOUIS M. NOAH, site blade, provided with a recess or socket, M. A. ELIZALDE. 

